# Newbie market analysis tool, not all charting software is the same

Many people ask: Why use TradingView instead of other charting software? Simply put - its features crush those of Bloomberg, the price is only a fraction of it, and it's not expensive.

**Basic Features** In this section, TradingView covers over 150 global markets (stocks/forex/crypto), with 150 built-in indicators and over 100,000 community indicators at your disposal. It supports 21 languages, including Traditional Chinese.

**Why is it suitable for retail investors?** Professional institutions use fundamental analysis, but what about retail investors without a professional background? Technical analysis is relatively quick and doesn't require too much industry knowledge. The combination of charts and indicators from TradingView is sufficient to support intraday or swing trading decisions.

**Core Advantages**:
- K-line replay function (simulate historical market to test strategy)
- Automatic pattern recognition (triangle, head and shoulders, etc.)
- Real-time price/technical alerts (pop-up/email/mobile notifications)
- 70+ Exchange Filter (Fundamentals + Technical Indicators 100+ Items)
- Community Shared Scripts (Pine Script Programming)

**Free vs Paid**: The Basic free version can only save 1 chart, 3 indicators, and 1 alert. The Essential starts at $14.95/month, unlocking up to 5 indicators, 20 alerts, and 2 charts. If you frequently switch between multiple stocks or indicator combinations, the paid version can save a lot of time.

**Popular Indicator Combination Example**: 200-day moving average ( trend judgment ) + RSI ( overbought and oversold ) + Squeeze Momentum ( volatility ) + support and resistance levels, using the combination signals more accurately.

**Note**: Most exchanges charge for real-time data. However, forex/cryptocurrency is usually free. If you use a broker that supports TradingView (like Mitrade, etc.), you can link to real-time data directly without paying repeatedly.

**Competitors**: Finviz( has a good US stock heatmap), Koyfin( has more comprehensive fundamental data), Yahoo Finance( has a wide coverage), but in terms of community activity and the number of indicators, TradingView is still the strongest.

**Suggestion**: Newbies should start with the Basic free version to familiarize themselves with the interface and upgrade based on their needs. Create your own watchlist + indicator templates, and use keyboard shortcuts to improve efficiency several times.